The biggest surprise of this years show was Dennis Wolf. He was a predicted top ten competitor for many but few expected him to have the impressive outing he had, and even fewer predicted he'd place as high as third. Dennis has impressed in all shows he's done in recent years, but none more so than this weekends event where he looked his biggest and best conditioned yet. A shredded Shawn Rhoden placed fourth, which was one down from last year, and one time Mr O Dexter "The Blade" Jackson completed the top five.
Former Mr Olympia Jay Cutler's big comeback only gained him sixth place. Jay looked awesome and will probably go down as one of the all time greats, but he'd lost size since his last Olympia outing two years ago, and it will be interesting to see wether he enters the Olympia again.
An incredible looking Roelly Winklaar took seventh place, although personally I thought he deserved higher, and a monstrous Big Ramy, who was making his Olympia debut earned a very respectable eight place. Branch Warren gained ninth place, though many think this was a little too generous, and a thick, full, shredded looking Lionel Beyeke, who more than deserved a place in the top ten and has improved immensely since last year, completed the top ten placed competitors.
Over in the 212 class, the Welsh Dragon James "Flex" Lewis rightly championed for a second year running, with Dave Henry, who always looks huge, thick and insanely shredded took second place. The biggest controversy was past 212 champion Kevin English who wasn't in his best condition to say the least placing third, above a hard, dry, grainy fourth placed Jose Raymond, a jaw droppingly conditioned (as ever) fifth place Eduardo Correa, and even above a peeled, stacked sixth place Sami Al Haddad.
I will be giving a few of this years Olympia competitors their own posts over the next few weeks (including those in the 212 category) but for now, here's a full rundown of the bodybuilders along with their placings and pictures from the finals...
1st - PHIL HEATH
2nd - KAI GREENE
3rd - DENNIS WOLF
4th - SHAUN RHODEN
5th - DEXTER JACKSON
6th - JAY CUTLER
7th - ROELLY WINKLAAR
8th - MAMDOUH "BIG RAMY" ELSSBIAY
9th - BRANCH WARREN
10th - LIONEL BEYEKE
11th - VICTOR MARTINEZ
12th - CEDRIC MCMILLAN
13th - EVAN CENTOPANI
14th - STEVE KULCO
15th - TONEY FREEMAN
16th - ROBERT PIOTRKOWICZ
16th - ESSA OBAID
16th - JOHNNIE JACKSON
16th - BRANDON CURRY
16th - BAITOLLAH ABBASPOUR
And to finish, some pretty fucking insane comparison shots...